Last November
by gloomleader
Summary: Katie's good at healing people. But now her brother is missing and to find him she has to go to New York City. She and her dog Shep, meet some newsies who help her find a new life, and some new friends.
1. Chapter 1

November 1899

"Georgie, come dance with me." I teased my older brother, as I tried to pull his arm, and the rest of his body, to the dance floor.  
"We have to go home; I need sleep if I'm going to get up tomorrow." He sighed and tried to pull his hand out of my iron grip. He wasn't getting away with not dancing,  
not on his last night at home.  
"Please Georgie, just once more, you're leaving." He sighed heavily again."Only 'cause I love ya Sis." He took my hand and led me to the crowd of rowdy dancers.  
We whirled and twirled to the lively fiddle, in between couples whispering in each other's ears and the threadbare hand-me-down skirts spinning.  
"George, you're going to go away on this ship, to far-away lands, you're going to meet pretty girls and forget all about your boring sister back here in Boston." He smirked down at me.  
"You'll always be my best girl Katie, in addition to being the prettiest in Southie." I smiled, smacking his arm slightly. "And I'm not just saying that 'cause I'm ya brotha." I laugh because I know he is.  
The music ends, and he leads me off the dance floor, out of the pub, onto the street and to our tiny apartment where I have trouble sleeping, my dog Shep, curled up next to my feet. I spent the rest of the night worrying about the only family I had left going out to sea the next morning.

"Be safe." I whispered desperately.  
"I will." He shrugs back.  
"George Alexander Withrow, you promise me, you have to come back, you're the only family I've got."  
"Alright, I, George Alexander Withrow, promise I will do everything possible to come back in one piece from this voyage." He raised his eyebrow. "Good"  
"Excellent." His deep, blue eyes looked into my matching ones.  
"But really, I'll miss you Katie."  
"Me too Georgie." He pulled me up into a bear hug. He let me down and leaned in to kiss my forehead. He picked up his rough canvas bag, and turned to walk down the docks,  
turning one final time to wave back at me before he walks up the gangplank. I wave back.  
"Love you Georgie." I whispered. I sighed. I'm alone. I pulled my shawl tighter around my shoulders and shivered.

MAY 16 1900

TO: KATHERINE ROSE WITHROW 218 WEST BROADWAY SOUTH BOSTON MASS

I AM SAFE STOP MEET IN NEW YORK MAY 31 STOP I PROMISED KATIE STOP LOVE GEORGE

No word for six months. Absolutely no way of knowing if my eighteen year old brother was dead or alive. No way of looking for him, only a little money  
I had saved from working those endless hours at the factory. The only thing that kept me from going crazy during those long months was my side job.

Which really could not be considered a job if I wasn't being paid for it. I got paid with the occasional meager meal or a scrap of meat for Shep, the most  
I would except from my equally destitute neighbors. There really wasn't much to go around in South Boston at the end of the century.  
Just plenty of diseases and broken bones. I could fix those though.

They thought I was a saint for helping.  
But it made me forget about George for even a little bit, so truly I was being selfish.

I was at the neighbor's house instructing her on how to help relieve her infant's harsh cough when I heard a knock on my own door.  
I started packing straight way. I had nothing to stay for, nothing except saddening memories of my family to haunt me. So I packed up the book that  
contained all my mother's medical knowledge, she had had George write everything down because she herself had not been literate, my best and only  
other dress, and the shawl my mother made for me before she had died.

When I was done, I sat on my bed with a heavy sigh. What was I doing? Rushing off to New York, leaving my job, and my home, he might not  
even come. As I sat thinking everything over I heard the the familiar sound of boots pounding their way up the stairs to my apartment.  
"Katie Withrow, please come quick, my little brother fell and there's blood everywhere and his leg looks awful bad."  
My bandages, that's what I forgot to pack, my bandages.

June 6th, 1900

He's a week late. That's what I get for hoping. No job, in a strange city, alone. I sit on a bench, just looking out on the harbor.  
Looking at every ship coming in to see if it's his. A week is not that long; I try to reason with the doubt gnawing at me. I already convincing myself  
he was dead once, or that there was the possibility, I could do it again.  
But the thing is, I don't want to. I want to have that hope.  
My stomach rumbles, telling me that I've somehow forgotten that I haven't eaten in days.  
Well, I haven't forgotten, just don't have money to eat. Shep licks my hand, his head lying in my lap.  
It's twilight, the sun is gone and it slowly becomes night; I curl up on the bench trying to get some sleep.

"Should we wake her up?"  
"Nah, just leave her, it's none of our business." A gruffer voice answers back.  
"It's not safe for girls down here."  
"But she's got the dog, she'll be fine."  
"Skitts..."  
"Fine, if you're so concerned then why don't you wake her up?"  
"I will."  
"Fine, do it."  
"I'm gonna, give me a second would ya?"  
I felt Shep's head go up, a small growl, and a warm hand on my shoulder, shaking it softly.  
"Uh, Miss?" I sit straight up, startling the teenage boy in front of me. I just stare at him.  
"Uh, hello." I stroke Shep's head, calming both our nerves as I take in my surroundings. A boy about my age stood in front of me, his dark curly hair  
under his cap, his tanned skin, his raggedy clothes not much better than mine, his big brown eyes looking back at me concerned.  
"Sorry miss, but I've seen you here a couple of nights this week, and wanted to see I could help." I hear a sigh behind me. A taller boy with messy hair  
and a pink undershirt looks apprehensive behind him.  
"Hey Mush, wanna get going, I've really gots to sell a few more papes, you know me lodging money."  
The first boy smiles apologetically at me.  
"Sorry 'bout him, he's kinda a downer." He sees me brush away my foolish tears.  
"Aww, don't cry, he's just an idiot, if he can't get money he can just walk over to Brooklyn to his mum's." The other boy grumbles something about not wanting to go home.  
"It's not that." I whisper. "I'm fine." I smile weakly.  
"So why are you sleeping on the streets, it's not safe for a goil, kid like me yeah, but not a pretty goil like youse."  
"Waiting for my brotha." I murmur and he grins.  
"Brotha? You mean brudda? What's a goil from Boston doing in New York?  
"Like I said, waiting for my brother." He smiles to himself and looks out to the harbor.  
"He out at sea?" I nod.  
"Well, there'll be no ships coming in tonight, looks like there'll be a storm, but if you want there's a bunk at the lodging house which will be a lot more comfortable than that  
there bench you been sleeping on." He quickly adds. "Long as you got five cents." He reaches over and scratches Shep behind the ears.  
"Why are you being so nice to me? I don't even know you?""Well, me name's Leo, me friends call me Mush, you can choose, the here's Skittery, he's a newsies just like me,  
I'm fifteen years old, my birthday's May 18th, I think, me papa's Italian, me mama's Puerto Rican, my favorite color's orange, and I love selling papes. He takes a long breath. "So how 'bout you." I laugh.  
"I'm Katherine Withrow, or Katie, my birthday's October 18th, I'm sixteen, and my favorite color's blue..." I am surprised at myself for giving a stranger so much information.  
"Just like your eyes." Skittery murmurs to himself. We look back at him, as if remembering he was there. Mush continues, ignoring Skittery's strange comment.  
"So will you stay with us, at least till your brudda comes back eh, or you get a job?"  
"I guess." I finally relent, he grins back. Skittery breathes a sigh of relief that we're finally done. I grab my small bag with my few belonging and scan the dark harbor once  
again before I let a strange boy lead me through the streets of an even stranger city, my border collie trotting behind me.


	2. Chapter 2

Mush and I discussed the life of a newsie in Manhattan, which is as he puts it, surprisingly  
fascinating. The fights he's fought, the secret places he explores, the pretty girls he meets,  
and all the friends he's made in his eight years on the streets. Skittery is off in the distance,  
peddling his last few papers to the dock workers on their way home. Shep somehow takes a  
liking to the grim boy, wandering back and forth from us to him, making sure we're all fine,  
and getting pity sales for Skittery. At last, he sold his final paper, around ten, and we all  
shuffled back to the lodging house, the streets softly lit by sparse lamps.

The lodging house is a plain brick building, a small hand-painted sign adorns the front.  
A single gas lamp burns above the entrance, where several boys lean against the wall in  
the shadows, bright dots of orange light from their cigarettes flickering. **  
"**Prepare yourself." Skittery mutters sarcastically as Mush reaches for the door handle.  
Mush just grins widely at him.**  
"**Well Miss Withrow, welcome to the lodging house."**  
**The calm exterior did not prepare me for the noise and insanity inside. **  
"**Heya Skittery, you owe me a pack a smokes." A tall boy shoved Skittery playfully.**  
"**Nice of you to show up Mush, you're late and the game's about to start." **  
"**Where were ya?" A blond with an eye patch yells.**  
"**Hey ya bums ya in or are ya out?" **  
**Shouts bombarded us as we entered the lobby, the boys leading the way, with me awkwardly  
bringing up the rear as I took in the giant mass of boys cluttered in the room, only a few brave  
girls sprinkled throughout. All going on with their rowdy business. Until they caught sight of me.**  
"**Uh Mush, what is that? A shorter boy who had been dealing the cards shouted from across the  
room, slowly removing his hat from his head. The other boys followed his action.**  
"**It's a goil Race, youse ever seen one before?" The boy rolled his eyes.**  
"**A'course Ise seen a goil before but what's she doing here?" They just stared at me.**  
"**Mush asked me to stay, I can go if it's a problem." I spoke back.**  
"**Yeah and before I was so rudely attacked by questions, I was planning on introducing her, ya bums."  
He grinned at me, I stayed quiet, hoping to avoid more shouting from the boys.**  
"**So you going to introduce her or what? The short one interjected, Skittery seemed to gain more  
confidence and answered before Mush had a chance.

"This here's Katie, she's going to stay with us for a bit, until he meets up with her brother."  
He gestured towards the diminutive boy. "This here's Racetrack, he's a bit of a loudmouth.  
" A quick eyeroll from Racetrack, but not before he was petting my dog.

"And who is this?"

"That's Shep. He's mine."

"Awww, he's a beaut."

"Thanks." I smiled shyly, still taking in the amount of people packed into the room. I lost  
sight of Mush, and made my way to sit on the staircase in the corner, leaving Shep to be  
patted and snuggled by almost everyone. I took in all the different people in the room, Race,  
a boy named Blink, Skittery talking to a boy with black hair, I finally spot Mush involved in  
a poker game. An older boy with a red bandanna is teasing another boy, one with cold blue eyes  
and a cane dangling from his belt loop. They both hold their shoulders in a way that makes me  
think they are in charge or are at least of the opinion that they are. I was studying the strange  
cane of the smaller one when I am startled by a voice.

"I wouldn't bother getting infatuated with Spot, he's impossible."

"I.. um... who's Spot?" A girl about my age with dark brown wavy hair sat down on the step next  
to me. Her green eyes flashed with amusement at my confusion.

"The one you're staring at, he may look good but he's lousy with the ladies." She made a sour face  
and I suspected she might know from first hand experience."

"Oh, who is he, and who's the kid with the bandanna? Who are_ you_?" The girl chuckled.

"You definitely aren't from around here, that's Spot Conlon, he's the leader of the newsies from  
Brooklyn, and that's Jack Kelly, he's about the same thing but for Manhattan. And me? "I'm Maeve."  
She held out her hand and shook mine firmly.

"Katie."

"So where you from?"

"South Boston." I said with a regretful tone. She seemed to catch that, and stopped questioning me  
about myself. "Where are you from?"

"Williamsburg, Brooklyn." She sighed and unconscious glanced over at the icy eyed boy.

"Ohhh, it that how you know so much about Spot's problems with girls." I raised my eyebrows  
at my new friend teasingly.

"Conlon's problem with girl is that he's in love with one and they can't figure out how to tell each  
other." Skittery's voice behind me made me jump as he sat on the other side of Maeve. He looked  
pointedly at her and continued talking to me. "See you met my sister..." Maeve's eyes grew to  
slits as she realized what his words meant.

"You do not mean me. Oh no Johnny." She gritted her teeth. Skittery rolled his eyes.

"That boy's been hanging on your every word since you were born."

"We're just best friends, or we were until he got involved with those newsies." She sighed, I got  
the feeling that Maeve was not one to talk about her feelings, or take teasing from anyone.

"Anyways...Katie." He looked down at his hands. "I might have been grumbling but it is really  
nice to meet you." He looked up at me, a small shy smile playing on his lips. A heavy, exasperated  
sigh escaped Maeve's.

"Alright, Johnny, it's getting late, I only came over here to tell you that Mama wants you home  
for Sunday dinner, she won't take any excuses this time." She glared at him. "Spot made me take  
him as an escort, thinks I walk around too often alone at night and..." Skittery had shot of look of  
admiration in Spot's direction. "I'm going home. Alone. So tell the knucklehead if he's looking for me,  
that for God's sake I've handled myself for years perfectly fine." She turned towards me. "It was nice  
meeting you, hope I see you again." She smiled softly, and pulled me, then her brother into a hug.  
"Johnny, Mama means it." were her last words as she darted across the room and out the door,  
muttering something about other people not being able to express their _attraction_.. Spot had  
noticed her stand up, but had gone back to his discussion with Jack. Skittery turned to me.

"So, you dog sure seems to be a hit already." He gestured to Shep, lying with his head on a sleeping  
little boy's lap against the wall. Several others were gently patting him, as his tail wagged softly.

"He loves attention." I clicked my tongue at my lovable pet.

"Your sister is nice." I tried to make conversation with him, shyness getting in the way for the both of  
us. It didn't help that I was exhausted.

"Maeve's a strange one. What's your brother like."

"He's...he's...well, George is everything I have. He takes care of me."

"You seem to be doing alright yourself."

"So far, but I really do miss him. Why do you live here, but your family lives in Brooklyn." He began  
to answer me but we were interrupted by an agitated Spot Conlon. He quickly tipped his hat to me with a quiet, miss.

"Gallagher, you seen your sister? I can't find her anywhere."

"You know her Conlon, she left 'bout five minutes ago." Spot clenched his fists, hollared a goodbye to  
Jack and the gang, and left in the same fashion as Maeve, muttering something about a certain "girlie".

"Ay, Skitts, you and the new goil enjoying your time alone?" Racetrack teased from across the room.  
"Wanna come join a game or what?" Skittery's face promptly turned rather red.

"I'm gonna go play, want to join?" I shook my head.

"I'm not one for pokah, but I'll come sit." Him and Mush were after all the only ones I knew.  
"Just one thing, what should I call you, Skittery or Johnny?" He made eye contact as he took my hand to help me up.

"Whatever you want."

The last thing I remember is Race dealing a new hand, and me leaning slowly over until I was resting on  
Skittery's shoulder. I couldn't help it, I was so exhausted and I didn't think to ask where I was sleeping  
for the night. I woke up, in the bottom bunk in a room with several rows of beds that looked about the  
same as mine. Girls were scattered amongst the beds, all still asleep. Shep was curled up at the foot of  
the bed, my meager belongings stacked on the floor next to the bed. I whispered his name to myself,  
_Johnny Gallagher_, and fell back asleep, mulling over my brief, pleasant time in New York.

**sorry, kind of a boring chapter**


End file.
